It may be a while yet before Lowertown can brag of Parisian-style outdoor restaurant seating.

A planned expansion of the Sixth Street sidewalk in Lowertown from Sibley to Wacouta streets has been dealt another setback.

After a public hearing attended by about two dozen opponents of the plan, the St. Paul Heritage Preservation Commission voted 7-1 on Thursday, Jan. 24, against the project, which would remove 21 or 22 metered parking spots near Mears Park.

The commission does not have the final say. The St. Paul City Council is expected to hear additional public comments on Feb. 6.

If approved by the city council later this year, the city's Department of Public Works would expand the northern sidewalk from 10 feet wide to 18 feet. The sidewalk expansion would retain two traffic lanes and a third lane shared by buses and bicycles, but no parking.

On Thursday, Heritage Preservation Commission staffers Amy Spong and Christine Boulware offered a compromise: Limit the sidewalk expansion to 14 feet. The eight voting members of the commission rejected the proposal.

The two building owners along the block, Dave Brooks and Jim Crockarell, have said they would pay for the expansion through sidewalk assessments. Their aim is to encourage cafe-style seating outside of the Bulldog, Barrio and Bin Wine Bar restaurants, while attracting new restaurants to empty storefronts in their buildings.

The idea has won the support of Mayor Chris Coleman and council member Dave Thune, who represents the downtown area.

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They say a new Lowertown ballpark, special events at Mears Park and the Central Corridor light-rail line all will bring foot traffic to the block, and a pedestrian promenade will help keep visitors in the entertainment district.

Downtown residents and property owners with concerns about parking and traffic changes are asking for more time. The CapitolRiver Council, a neighborhood district council, asked the city council on Jan. 17 to deny the application for right-of-way changes.

"It was not intended as outright opposition but rather a placeholder until additional information is available," said Melissa Martinez-Sones, director of the CapitolRiver Council.

Downtown building owner John Mannillo showed the commission images of buses and delivery trucks trying to navigate turns on and off Sixth Street with difficulty and said the sidewalk expansion would exacerbate that problem.

The district council noted that the Heritage Preservation Commission has yet to complete an update to its design guidelines for Lowertown. In addition, the CapitolRiver Council's parking task force has yet to host its initial meeting to discuss parking concerns. The task force is scheduled to meet Tuesday.

Chuck Repke, who represents the two building owners in the sidewalk expansion permitting process, told the HPC on Thursday that the project was put on hold in 2010 amid similar information requests. He expressed frustration about continued delays.